Electrochemical recorder



Oct. 27, 1925. V 558,536

P. B. DELANY ELECTROCHEMICAL RECORDER Filed Feb. 8. 1922 g Sheets-Sheei1' AMPUFYJNQ 2 ,I a I l E A RECEIVER Oct. 27, 192 5.

- 1,558,536 P. B. DELANY ELECTROCHEMICAL RECORDER Filodfeb. 8, 1922 2Shets-Shget 2-,

r A INVENTOR. Pa'frwcfi; vZ9 Dgian 40' 1 'ing wire to another at such aspeed relative to the speed of movement of the taperthat Patented Oct..27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PA E 'J FEI Ei PATRICK B. DELANY, or sou'rn cannon, newJimsnr, ASSIGNOR, BY Muslin Kssmiw? MEN'I'S, 0 INTERNATIONAL TELEPOSTCOMPlANY,'ING., A CORPORATION or urine-- the State of New Jersey, haveinventedanv Improvement in Electrochemical Recorders, of. which thefollowing is a full, clear, and

exact description.

The invention. while applicable to wire telegraphy is' more especiallyadapted to record wireless signals whichrequire 'forefi'ectiveoperati-on themost efiicient use of addition has thedisadvantage ofinstability.

the weak currents of these systems that are available at the receivingstation.

It has been found in operation,v that the use of a, recording wire ofsufiicient cross section difi'usesthe electro-chemical decompositionover a surface which renders the record too faint "for readydeciphering, while the record from a small wire. though ofgreater-density, is equally ,difiicult oftranscription, owing to itsfineness, and in One object of my invention is to effect maximumelectrochemical action at the recorder, and I obtain this-by two or moreclosely mounted recording fingers, each alternately connected to-.the'receiving circuit so that the combined record forms practically asingle line.

Another object of my invention is .to provide a very plain record by theuse-of a laterally vibrating recording-wire which produces a wavy orzig-zag line in black i outline that greatly facilitates transcription.

Another. object of'my invention is to produce a record with two -'ormore parallel lines, and this is brought about by the use of a rapidlyrevolving switch which alternately transfers the circuit fromonerecordthere is formed ,substantially a" continuous line-in the track ofeach wire.

Another object of the invention is the production of a very clear recordby the use of a metallic band orcontact underneath the tape unconnectedwith any part of the circuit except as a path for the current from onerecording wire "to the others supple; mentary to th chemical tape itselig v. Other objects will be apparent from the following detaileddescription and the appended claims, i

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' Application m'ea February 8, 192a. seriaim. 535,055. 1 i

In the drawings, which are diagrammatic n" character:

Figure 1 shows ausual sending apparatus and at the receiving station a1chemical recorder with two firngersand" a rotating switch, i i v Eigure2 .shows the record produced thereby. I

Figure 3 shows a receivingapparatus employing three contact fingers." a

b Figure; shows the record produced there- 'using a single recordingfinger which is givena rapid lateral vibration.

- F gure 6 shows the record producedthereigure 5 shows a receivingapparatus Figure 7 shows a. system similar to the receiving apparatusof'Figure 1, but em ploying a rapidly the rotary switch.

vibrating reed instead of Figure 8 shows a receiving apparatus in" whicha disconnected the tape. y a Figure 9 shows conventionally means forregulating the speed of the moving tape.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of a metal band underlies modificationemploying-two recording fingers, one bearingon each surface of-the tape.Figure 11 1s a similar v1ew.,of a modification lIl'WhlGh three fingersare provided,

the third one being of non-recording metal to the" ground or return"illustrated. In the same figure B designates the receiving apparatus asa whole. This comprises a rotary switch of the usual type,diagrammatically illustrated. as having segments 6, 7', 9 and '10 andthe usual finger or brush 12. connected to one terminal 13 of thereceiving circuit. 14 is connected to a drum 15in the usual manner. Thesegments 6 and 7 are com nected to a finger 8 and thesegmentst) and Theother terminal.

1O are connected to a finger 11, these fingers resting on a chemicallyprepared tape pass is of a size so that when it passes from one.

ing around or over the drum 15 in the usual manner.

The rotary switch is adapted to be rotated at any desirable speed, andthe current will be caused to pass alternately through the recordinglingers 8 and 11.. The brush 12 segment to another, it will close thecircuit through both fingers momentarily. The speed of the switch isregulated-with reference to the speed of the movement of the tape sothat a plurality of impulses will be caused to lap in each signal,thereby increasing the electro-chemical decomposition and the consequentlegibility of the record. The form ofrecord obtained by this device isshown at 16 in Figure 2. The two lines will be close together and eachwill be more legible than the single-line formerly obtained by a singlefinger, so that the clearness of the record is increased intwo ways.

Figure 3' shows a form of receiving apparatus B in which the'rotaryswitch connects the recording fingers to the line successively in 1, '2,3 order, the wires to the fingers being designated 17, 18 and 19. Theform of record produced is shown in Figure l. In all other respects theconstruction and operation is the'samo as that of the form shown inFigure 1.

A further modified form of receiving appa'ratus is shown at B in Figure5. In this case a single finger 21 is employed. but by means of anyusual or desired makeand-break device it is rapidly oscillatedtransversely for a distance of of an inch. for example. Tl'llS will givea record such as designated 22 in Figure 6. which is very legible. l A-still further modification B is illustrated in Figure 7 where thecircuit 23 is 'led alternately to fingers 8 and 11 of the,

type shown in Figure 1 by .means ofa rapidly vibrating reed 23' givenits vibrarotary switch of Figure 1 and the record produced issubstantially the same and is shown in Figure 2.

A detail improvement is shown in Figure 8 and is adapted to be used withany of the above described forms of receiving apparatus. It comprisesthe employment of a metallic band 24 around the drum 15 which is notdirectly connected with any part of the circuit. The tape passes betweenthe fingers and the metallic band The tape alone would sufiice as aconductor between the fingers but. by themetallic contact underneath theresistance of the tape is reduced. I find'that this is much preferableto the use ofga metallic electrode underneath the time. In Figure 9 isconveniently illustrated a motor 25 which is connected through a wormments.

26 and worm gear 27 to rotate the drum 15.

Through an adjustable resistance or in any other suitable mannerthe'specd of the drum is regulated. This may be used with any 30 bcar onopposite sides of the tapes opposing each other. With this arrangement.

siguals of either polarity would be recorded.

positive 'currents on one side of thetape and negative currents on theother side. The finger 29 is connected through 29' to the line and thefinger,30 is groundedat 31.

Figure 11. illustrates a still further modification in which two fingers32 and 33. sim- "ilar to fingers 29 and 30 in Figure 10. are

employed, and in addition thereto, a third finger 34:.which is ofnon-recording metal and grounded at Both of the fingers 32 and 33 areconnected to the line. By this method a double record is made. eachcontributing to the density of the other.

Itis obvious that my invention is independent of the particular form ofcertain details which h ve therefore been illustrated only conveniently.it is immaterial just how the impulses are produced at the recorder. orhow the rotarv switch is rotated or how its speed is controlled how thefinger 21 is given its lateral vibration or the reed 23 is oscillated:or how the drum 15 is given its rotation. Any old or desirable ineansmay be employed to eflect these moveas my invention is independentthereof. but resides in the features hereinatter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electro-chemical recorder comprise inn" a receiving circuit. aplurality of recording fingers. a switch in said circuit; and means contolled by the switch for alternatelv connectina' the recording fingers tothe receiving circuit.

2. An electro-chemical recorder-for signals composed of interruptedcurrents of like polarity comprising a receiving circuit, a rotaryswitch in said circuit. a plurality of recording fingers. and meanswhereby the rotation of the switch alternate v connects the recordingfingers to the receivingcircuit.

3. An electro-chemical recorder comprismg a TGCGIVIILQ circuit. aplurality of record-' ine, fingers adapted to make a record on a.

' ing' means for feeding a chemical tape, a

4. An electro-chemical recorder comprismg a receiving o1rcu1 t,;meansfor feeding a chemical tape, a plurahty of recording fingers bearing onthe tape, a rotary switch in' chemical tape, a plurality of recordingfingers in contact with said tape,- and means for connecting therecording fingers to said circuit vsuccessively. p

6. An electro chemical recorder compris: ing a receiving circuit, meansfor feeding a chemical tape, a recording fingerbearing on said tape, andmeans for regulating the the currents in the. circuit -to record inunbroken elements of telegraphic characters.

7. An electro-chemic'al recorder comprisplurality of recordingfingers'resting upon said tape and a disconnected metal plate in contactwith the tape on the side opposite to the fingers.

8. An electro-chemical recorder comprising means for feeding a tape overa drum, a

metal plate carried by the drum but not electrically connected therewithupon which the tape rests, and a plurality'ot'recording fingersrestingupon the tape on the other side thereof and opposed to saidplate.

9. An electro-chemical recorder comprising a receivingcircuit, apluralityof recording fingers, a switch in said circuit, meanscontrolled-by the switch for alternately con- I tape and thereby produceincreasd'electro 'lytic action. 4 spe'edjof the tape to the frequencyrate of V ne'cting the recording fingers to the receiving circuit, andmeans for regulating the speed of movement ofthe switch to'cause afinger to be connected tothe circuit a plurality-of times in eachsignal. 4

10. A method forelectro-chemically recordf ing impulses comprising thesuperposition '1n' part of a plurality of's'aid impulses to formunbroken dot and dash characters.

, 11. A method for electro-chemically 'ie-L-L cording upon a chemicaltape impulses forming component' parts of"charaoters which comprisesregulating thev speedof thetape with relation to the rate of theimpulsesto cause an overlapping of the impulses on the 12. A method forelectrochemically ing upon a chemical tape dots andadashes comprising aplurality of impulses compris-"ito, thereby causing a superposition inpart a of, the impulses and the formation of unbroken dot and dash.characters.

13. An eleptro-chemical recordercompris- 'ing a chemical tape, tworecording fingers contacting with thegtape on opposite sides and bothconnected-to the receivingcircuit, and 'a'third' finger contacting withsaidtape and connected to thereturn circuit or grounded.

In testimony whereof, Thave hereunto subscribed my name. PA'I RICKB,DELANY. 1

